Taylor Swift Song of the Week: “Blank Space”
By Kara Johnson
Taylor Swift is a genius when it comes to taking back the narrative from the media and those who love to make up stories about her. “Blank Space” is the song that captures this kind of genius perfectly.
“Blank Space” was written by Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback. It was released on November 10, 2014, as 1989‘s second single, following her hit “Shake It Off”. The song isn’t your ordinary track. It’s an upbeat tempo track that satirizes the media’s perception of her, and it’s infectious to its core.
Within just three weeks after being released, the song reached No.1 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart, following “Shake it Off”. After this major success, Swift became the first woman Ho 100’s 56-year run to succeed herself at the top spot, and this wasn’t the last time Swift has fashionably done so.
"“Some of the things I write about on a song like “Blank Space” are satire. You take your creative license and create things that are larger than life. You can write things like I get drunk on jealousy but you’ll come back each time you leave, ’cause darling I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream. That is not my approach to relationships. But is it cool to write the narrative of a girl who’s crazy but seductive but glamorous but nuts but manipulative? That was the character I felt the media had written for me, and for a long time I felt hurt by it. I took it personally. But as time went by, I realized it was kind of hilarious.” —Swift, behind the purpose of writing the song"
Although “Blank Space” satirizes the media’s perception of who she is, the song is still continuing to do well to this day. It’s reached well over 2 billion views on YouTube and they are only rising from here on out. The media portrays her as a man-eater, and she plays the part well in the song and in the music video (directed by Joseph Kahn). There is nothing like a blank space that Swift can’t fill. But those spaces aren’t filled with boys names, they are filled with trophies and astounding success.
Watch the “Blank Space” music video below: